Cupola-charging bucket



Aug; '11, 1925.

H. R. SLIVINSKI CUPOLA CHARGING BUCKET 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 vf 'iQ-QQ@ Filed Jan. 7, 1922 Aug. l1, 1925.

H. R.' SLIVI NSKI CUPOLA GHARGING BUCKET 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. '2. 1922 Ewen/502;.

c/ 15%6'/ ,By A

Patented Aug. 11, 1925.

UNITED STATES maare PATENT oFrcE.

V:HUGO R. SLIV'INSKI, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR '.'LO ELECTRIC CRANE & HOIST CO., OF MONTOUR FALLS, NEW YORK, 5. CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CUPOLA-CHARGING BUCKET.

Application led January 7, 1922;

T0 all whom t may concern.:

Be it known that I, HUGO R. SLiViNsKI, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cupola-Charging Buckets, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates to charging devices, and has particular reference to a bucket adapted for charging cupolas, blast furnaces and the like. Heretofore cupolas Vhave been charged either by hand or by dumping buckets ordump cars full of material through the charging door. The first of these methods is objectionable from a production standpoint because of the high labor cost involved in handling the material (lime, coke, pig iron and scrap) by hand, but results in a more uniform output of the cupola because ofthe uniform manner in which the materials are charged and spread in the furnace. The second method lowers the cost of the molten iron at the cupola because of the lesser expense involved by charging the materials in large quantities by machinery, but produces an inferior and less uniform iron because the materials when dumped into the cupola in large quantities do not spread evenly but tend to segregate in piles so that instead of having uniform layers. of coke and iron descending inthe cupola the material descends unevcnly, and when the cupola is tapped the iron is at times very hot and fluid and at other times too cold to be poured into molds. By means of my invention the charges are spread in even layers in the cupola fully as well as if done by hand, and the material is handled even more cheaply and with less labor than has heretofore been possible with cupola charging machinery. l am thus able to attain the uniform product heretofore cbtainable onlyT by hand charging together with the reduced production cost obtainable only with cupola charging machines.

More specifically, my invention comprises an improved charging bucket which will hold acharge of coke or iron and discharge it into the cupola, spreading the materiali evenly over the preceding charges.

My invention also comprises an improved charging crane which, in` combinationwith Serial No. 527,585.

my improved bucket, is adapted, under control of a smgleoperator, to deliver. and spread the chargesV 1n a cupola of any sizei Having thusbrie'fly referredto. the na..

ture of my invention, reference will now lbe had to the accompanying drawings for a.

detailed description of a1 specificy embodi-V ment thereof, the mainfeatures` of novelty` being particularly pointed out thereafter'in.

the claims. y

In the drawings- Figure 1 isla side elevation partly in sec-- tion of a preferred form ofmy improvedi charging bucket and the ring used' when charging coke or other relatively bulky maf terial;

Fig. 2 is a section taken substantially'on the line 2-2 Iof Fig. 1'

Fig. o is an enlarged view of a part of:

Fig 2, the segmentsforming the platform of the bucket being omitted;

Fig. Ll is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on the line 4--4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section ofl the plunger housing and head;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of my improved charging crane and modified form of bucket;

Fig. 'Z is an end view of the charging crane showing the two hoisting cables and buffer plate;

Fig. 8 1s a side elevation, the lower part being in section, of the modified charging' bucket;

Fig. 9 is-an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 9 9 of Fig. 8.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 5, the preferred form of my improved charging bucket has a tubular guide or casing 10 in" which a plunger 11 is slidably mounted. The casing has a bell-shaped enlargement 12 at its lower end providing a housing for a` a rack 1S formed on the lower end of theplungervll. The arms extend radially 'bee' yondthe housing and each is secured to one' of a plurality of overlappingA segmental plates 19, which, when the arms are in horizontal position as shown in Figs.; 1 andQ.,

provide a complete circle forming the floor or platform of the charging bucket. The edges of the plates overlap, as shown in Fig. 2, and the arms 16 are preferably secured toone edge since this permits the plates land arms to nest closer together when in dumping position, 'as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and discharges thematerial evenly throughout the cupola. However, the arms may be secured to the segments at any desired point. A pair of ears or lugs 20, 21 kare formed on oppositesides oi .the `guide 10 near its upper end, and in them issecured the ends of a Uebolt 22 having a ring 23 engaged by the hook 23 to which the lower ends of the hoisting cables 24 are secured. The cables 24 pass over a pair of sheaves on the charging crane and are wound on a drum, as shown in Fig. 6 and as will be more fully described later. The plunger 11 is slidable in the guide 10 and has a head 25 securedV to its upper end by a screw 26, the head having a pair of buffer cylinders 27, 28 bored to slidably receive the buffers 29, 30 and buffer springs 31, 32 respectively. A transverse bore formed partly in the guide and partly in the plunger provides a bearing for a locking pin or bolt 34, the two ends of whichv are squared and secured to the forks 35, 36 of a trip arm or lever, the free end of the lever being secured to a trip rope 38. The bolt is, cut away centrally at 39 toV coliform to the curvature of the plunger, and when the trip arm is in the full line position shown in Figs. 1 and 5 the locking pin locks the plunger andvguide together, but when the trip lever is raised to `dotted line position, the cut-away portion 39 of the bolt comes opposite that portion of the bore in the plunger, which disengages the plunger so that it may slide in the guide, as best shown in Fig. 4.

`the sizes is not essential..

A feather 40 secured to the plunger slides in a slot 41 in the housing, and prevents relative rotation of the parts. A plate 42 (Figs. 1, 6, and 7 is secured to the. charging crane between the sheaves over which the hoisting cables run, and is adapted to be engaged by the buffers 29, 30 to close the bucket after its contents have been discharged. 'K When my charging bucket is beingused to delivercoke vto the cupola, a ring 43 is supported by chains or cables 44 from the yoke and rests on the platform formed by the segments 19, the height oiP4 the ring preferably being sulicient to measure one chargeol` coke. The diameter of the coke ring and bucket are somewhat less than thc diameter of the cupola. For example, I use a. bucket 60 in diameter for charging a (S8-inch cupola, but an exact ratio between Then coke is being charged, the ring 43 is placed on the bucket with theparts as shown in Fig. 1.

The ring is now filled with a charge of coke and the bucket hoisted by mea-ns of the cables to the level'of the charging door. The crane vcarrying the bucket is then run forward until the bucket enters the charg ing door and is centered in the cupola. The operator oi' the crane then pulls the trip rope 38, which raises the trip lever and releases the plunger' 11 for upward movement. 'ilhe Vweight olf the charge swings the arms 16 downward aboutvtheir pivot points, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, discharging the Vcoke in a uniform layer. As the segments 19-swing downwardly and inwardly the edges ai which are attached to the arms 1G swing in closer to the center than do the ireeedges b, and when, in final discharge position, the segments are tangent to a cone of which the arms 16 are clements. 1t will be noted that as the segments swing downwardly and inwardly they have a relative twisting movement aboutv the arms 16, and that as the overlapping edges of adjacent segments separate they discharge a portion ot the coke toward the center and impart a whirling motion thereto which assists materially in its even distribu-v tion. lVhen the coke has been discharged, the operator of the crane raises the bucket slightly until the buffers 29, 3() strike the plate 42, which forces the plunger 11 downwardly and through the rack 18 and gears 17 raises the arms 16V to horizontal position. lVhen the arms become horizontal, the notch in the plunger comes opposite the latch 34, which permits the trip lever to drop and lock the plunger and housing against relative movement. l The bucket is then lowered and is ready to receive another charge of coke. A,

lVhen iron is being charged, the ring 43 is omitted and the iron, which is of relatively small bulk, is piled on the segments 19. It is then spread in the cupola in the same man ner as the coke. ln practice a plurality of buckets are used, one or more being equipped with rings for charging coke and an equal number without the ring for charging iron, so that while one bucket is being discharged another is being loaded.

The bucket shown in Figs. 6 to 9 is the same in general principles of operation as the preferred form just described, but differs somewhat in details of construction. Either type of bucket may be used with the crane 45, which is carried by trollies 46, 47 running on an I-beam 48, the trolley 47 being driven by an electric motor 49 controlled by the operator in the cab 50. The operator occupies a seat 51v conveniently located with respect to a controller 52 for controlling the motor 49, and a similar controller directly back ci the first one for controlling the hoisting motor 54 which drives a drum 55 on which the hoisting cables 24 are wound.`

The beam 56 of the crane extends forwardly beyond the trolley 46 a distance sufficient to reach the center of the cupola, and carries a pair of sheaves 57 over which the hoisting cables run and a sheave 58 for the trip rope which extends rearwardly through the cab 50 to a differential drum 59, which is actuated by a weight 6() to keep the trip rope taut. The hook 23 engages in an eye-bolt 6l screwed into the upper end of the plunger 62, which slides in the housing or guide 63, and at its lower end is secured to a head 64 having a ring 65 provided with a plurality of depressions 66 forming fulcrum points or bearings for a plurality of arms 67 secured to or formed integral with segments 68 forming the bottom or platform of the bucket. The arms 67 are pivoted to lugs 69 on the under side of a bell-shaped enlargement 70 of the housing, and their inner ends rest on a flange 71 at the lower extremity of the housing. The housing and plunger have a pair of ears or lugs 72, 73 respectively at their upper ends, which are connected by a pair of links 74, 75 forming a toggle joint. A trip lever 76 is fulcrumed on the pivotal connection 77 of the toggle links, and has one end 78 rounded out to bear against the plunger 62 and together with the toggle forms a means for locking the plunger and guide against relative movement.

In operation the material to be charged is loaded on the platform 'formed by the segments 68, the latter being in horizontal position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 8, the toggle and trip lever locking the parts together. It is to be noted that the pivot point 77 in Fig. 8 lies inside of the center line connecting the pivotal connection of the links to the ears 72, 73, and therefore that any force tending to slide the casing upward on the plunger will only force the bearing end of the lever more firmly against the plunger.

Assume now that the bucket has been loaded with a charge, the operator starts the motor 54 and raises the bucket to the level of the cupola charging door. The crane is then run forward until the bucket is centered in the cupola. upward and pulls the trip rope 38, raising the trip lever 76, which fulcrums about the end 78 bearing against the plunger 62, and moves the center 77 outward beyond the line of centers of the toggle, whereupon the weight of the charge on the arms 67 will cause the latter to tilt about their bearings on the ring 65 and raise their inner ends together with the housing 63. rlhis throws the trip arm and toggle into the dotted line position shown in Fig. 8. The charge slides from the inclined segments 68 and is distributed evenlyv about the cupola. When the material has been discharged, the bucket is withdrawn from the cupola and lowered to the loading ioor, where it receives another rlhe operator then reachescharge. When the bucket is lowered tho arms'67 strike on the loading ring or platform 79, which causes them to rock about the ring 65 into horizontal position as the bucket is lowered further, the toggle and trip lever autoi'natically swinging into locking position.

While l have shown the coke ring 43 in combination with but one form of my invention and`- have shown the other modification in combination with the charging rrane, it will of course be understood that the coke ring will be used with either type of bucket when charging coke or other light material, and that each form of bucket is adapted for use with the charging crane.

The drawings and foregoing description are but illustrative of specific forms in which the broad principles underlying my invention may be embodied, and are not to be construed as limiting-'the invention to a particular construction, but claim as my invention all modifications and equivalents that may come within the scope of claims.

lliat I claim is:

1. In a cupola charging device, the combination of two members one of which is slidable relatively to the other, a collapsible load carrying platform, a lock for preventing collapse of the platform, and means connecting the members and platform permitting movement of the slidable member and collapse of the platform to discharge the load upon release of the lock.

2. In a cupola charging device, the coinbination of two members slidable relative to one another and normally locked against relative slidable movement, and a collapsible load carrying platform connected to said members, the platform adapted to be collapsed and the load discharged upon unlocking of the members.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a plurality of segmental members forming a load carrying platform, a guide to which the segmental members are pivotally connected, a lunger slidable relative to the guide, and) means (Jo-operating with the segmental members and plunger whereby relative movement of the plunger and guide will tilt the segmental members about their pivotal connections.

1l. In a device of the class described, the combination of a plurality of segmental members forming a load carrying platform, a guide to which the segmental members are pivotally connected, a plunger slidable rela-- tive to the guide, means co-operating with the segmental members and plunger permitting relative movement of tha plunger and guide and tilting of the segmental members about their pivotal connections, and means for preventing relative movement of the guide and plunger.

In a charging bucket, the combination :i casing, plunger slidable therein, a collapsible load carryuig platiorm surrounding the casing and carried thereby, inea-us connecting the plunger and yplatform permitting movement of the plunger in the casing and collapse of the platform, and means for locking the plunger against movement when the platform is in horizontal position. Y

6. In a cupola charging device, the combination of a guide, a member slidable in the guide, a plurality olf segmental plates pivoted to the guide and Jriorming a charge cairying platform, means co-operating with the plates and' slidable member whereby relative movement of the guide and member will tilt the platform to discharge its contents, means Jfor locking the guide and slidable member against relative movement, and means for releasing the locking means to pei'mit relative movement of the guide and member to discharge the contents of the platform.

7. In a cupola charging device, the combination of a casing, a plurality ci segmental plates pivotally connected to the casing at its lower end and' forming a collapsible load carrying platform, a plunger slidable in the casing and having means at the lowei end engaging the segmental plates for controlling their movement about their pivotal connections, locking mechanism on the upper ends of the casing and plunger, and means for actuating the locking mechanism to release the plunger .rheiieby the plates will tilt about their pivotal connections.

S. In a cupola charging bucket, the conibination or" a guide having an enlarged housing at its lower end, a plurality oiC overlapping segments connected to the housing and adapted when in horizontal position to form a charge. carrying platform, a plunger slidable within the guide and housing, means on the plunger engaging the segments to normally retain them in horizontal position, means for locking the plunger and guide against relative movement when the segments are in horizontal position, and means 'for releasing the locking means whereby the segments will tilt to discharge position.

9. In a cupola charging bucket, the combination of a guide having an enlarged housing at its lower end, a plurality or overlapping segments connected to the housing and adapted when in horizontal position to form a charge receiving platform, a plunger slidable within the guide and housing, means on the plunger engaging the segments to normally retain the-m in horizontal position, means'for locking the plunger and guide .6g against relative movement when the segments are in horizontal position, means for releasing the' locking means "whereby the segments will tilt to discharge position and means ior automatically actuating the locking means when the segments are returned to horizontal position.

l0. In a cupola charging bucket, the com bination of a guide having an enlarged housing at its Alower end, a plurality of overlapping segments connected to the housing and adapted when in horizontal position to form a charge receiving platform, a plunger slidable within the guidi` and housing, means on the plunger engaging the segments to` normally retain them in horizontal position, means for locking the plunger and guide against relative movement when the segments are in horizontal position, means for releasing the locking means whereby the segments will tilt to dis charge position, means lor returning the segments to horizontal position, and mean:-- for automatically Y actuating the locking means when the segments are returned.

lll. In a cupola charging device, the combination of a casing having a housing at its lower end, a. plurality of arms pivoted within the housing, a plurality of segmental plates carried by the arms, a plunger slidable in the casing and extending into the housingmeans on the plunger engaging the inner eiidsot1 the arms, means for locking the plunger and casing against relative movement to retain the arms in-horizontal position, means for releasing the locking means whereby the plunger will slide in the casing and swing the arms to discharge position, means for returning the plunger in the casing and the arms to horizontal position, and means for automatically actuating the locking means when the arms are thus returned.

l2. In a cupola charging device, the combination of accusing, a plunger slidable n the casing and having a rack at its lower end, a plurality of arms pivoted to the casing and having segmental gears engaging the rack, a plurality of plates carried by the arms, means for automatically locking the` casing and plunger together when the arms are in horizontal position, means for releasing tlie locking means, and means for returning the plunger to locking position.

13. In a cupola charging device, the combination of a relatively stationarymember, a member movable axially therein, a collapsible load carrying platform carried by the stationary member, and means connectingthe members and platformI permitting` collapse ot the platform and movement of themovable member.

14;. In a bodily movable cupola charging device, the combination of a relatively stationary guide member, a member movable axially therein, a collapsible platform car-` ried by the guide member, and means including a rack and gear mechanism connecting said members and platform permitting movement of the movable member and collapse of the platform.

V15. In a cupola charging device, the combination of a hollow relatively stationary guide member, a plunger reciprocable therein, means for permitting reciprocation but preventing rotation thereof in the guide member, a. collapsible load carrying platform carried by the guide member, and means connecting the guide, plunger and platform, permitting reciprocation of the plunger and collapse of the platform.

16. In a cupola charging device, the combination of a traveling crane having an overhanging beam, a hoisting drinn on the crane, a casing carrying al clollapsible platform suspended from the over-hanging beam and connected by a cable to the drum, a trip arm on the casing controllable from the crane for releasing the collapsible platform, and means on the crane for returning the collapsible platform to charge receiving position When the casing is hoisted to contact said means.

17. In a cupola charging device, the combination of a traveling crane having am overhanging beam, a hoisting drum on the cra-ne, a collapsible charging bucket inc-luding a relatively movable and a non-movable member, a hoisting cable on the drum and supporting the bucket from the overhanging beam, means for locking the movable member to support the bucket in charge receiving position, and means operable from the crane for releasing the locking means to discharge the contents of the bucket.

18. In a cupola charging device, the combination of a traveling crane having an overhanging beam, a hoisting drum on the crane, a collapsible charging bucket, a hoisting cable on the drum and supporting the bucket from the overhanging beam, means for locking t-he bucket in charge receiving position, means operable from the crane for releasing the locking means to discharge the contents of the bucket, and means carried by the crane for returning the bucket to charge receiving position When the bucket is hoisted to contact said means.

19. In a cupola charging device, the combination of a traveling crane, a collapsible charging bucket connected to the crane to be raised and lowered thereby, a trip lever on the bucket, means for actuating the trip lever from the crane to discharge the bucket, a buffer on the bucket, and a buffer plate on the crane adapted on contact With the bufferV to return the bucket to charge receiving position. l

20. In a charging bucket, t-he combination of a central casing having a collapsible bottom, a slidable member controlling the collapsible bottom, locking means coi-operating With the slidable member and casing to hold the bottom closed, means for releasing the locking means, a buffer on the slidable membcr, and means cooperating with the buffer to slide the member in the casing and close the bottom.

21. In a cupola charging device, the combination of a pivotally supported tiltable platform adapted to hold a charge, means to lock the plat-form to prevent tilting, means for inserting the platform into a cupola, and means for releasingl the locking means to permit tilting of the platform to discharge its contents into the cupola.

In a cupola charging device, a bucket having a collapsible circular horizontal bottom adapted to hold a charge, means for inserting the bucket in a cupola, means for collapsing the bottom to discharge and spread the charge, and means on the inserting means adapted to be contacted by the bucket for returning its bottom to horizontal position.

23. In a cupola charging device, the combination of a supporting member, a bucket having a circular bottom comprising a plurality of segmental sections pivotally connected at their apices to the supporting member, means for locking the sections in a horizontal position to form a charge holding platform, and means for releasing the locking means to collapse the bottom and release the charge.

24. In a cupola charging device, the combination of a supporting member, a bucket having a circular bottom comprising a plurality of overlapping segmental sections pivotally connected at their apices to the supporting member, means for locking the sections in overlapping position in a horizontal plane to form a charge holding platform, and means for releasing the locking means to collapse the bottom and release the charge.

25. A bucket for cupola charging devices comprising a supporting member, and a circular bottom made up of a plurality of segmental portions pivotally connected at their apices to the supporting member.

26. A bucket for cupola charging devices comprising a supporting member, and a circular bottom made up of a plurality of overlapping segmental portions pivotally connected at their apices to the supporting member.

27. A bucket for cupola charging comprising a load carrying platform made up of a plurality of sections, and means for collapsing the sections with a whirling action whereby the load discharged by the platform is evenly distributed.

28. A bucket for cupola charging comprising a circular load carrying platform made up of a plurality of segmental sections, and means for collapsing the sections qlo with a whirling` action whereby the load discharged by the platform is evenly distributed. n

29. A bucket 'for cupola charging comprising,v a supporting member, a circular load carrying platform made np of a plurality of segmental se tions pivotally connected at their apices to the supporting` member, and means for collapsing the sections with a whirlinpaction whereby the load is evenly distributed when discharged.

30. A bucket for cupola chargingvcomprising` a supporting member, a circular load carrying platform made up of a plurality of segmental sections pivotally connected at their apices to the supporting member, and arranged in overlapping relation, and means for collapsing the sections with a whirling action whereby the load is evenly distributed 20 when discharged.

3l. In a furnace charging device, aleentral support comprising two members relatiif'ely movable in a vertical direction, provsions for suspending said support connected to one of said members, a plurality of load supporting lever arms each iulcrumed on one ot' saidvmembers and engaged by the other member' in oneirelative position of the two members to thereby hold said arms each in an outwardly extending` load receiving position but tending to swing down under the action of gravity into a load discharging position when relatiif'e movement oi thetwo members is permitted, and means forireleasably locking,` the two members f in said one relative position.

,In testimony whereofl I `aliX my signature.

HUGO R. sLIyINs'Ki. 

